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<br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />still many questions to be answered before a decision should be made. <br />Mr. Holmer felt that foreign trade zones are well worth looking at. Mr. Ohm <br />stated that one of the problems with our area is not being able to offer any <br />particular economic advantages, and a foreign trade zone might be a very <br />attractive incentive. Mr. Keller directed Mr. Gleason to put together infor- <br />mation on foreign trade zones for the council's information. <br /> <br />Mr. Holmer asked if there is anything else more exotic than a foreign trade zone <br />to look at. Mr. Anderson said no, that there is only one foreign trade zone in <br />this area, in Portland, that it is feasible in our area, and that we should <br />proceed agressively and quickly. <br /> <br />Mr. Obie stated that neither group has a direct outreach recruitment program <br />going on. He asked if Oregon Pacific is in a position to contract with the City <br />of Eugene to make "x" number of contacts in Eugene's behalf. Mr. Anderson said <br />that it is programmatically very feasible to market a specific site. The issue <br />that it presents for Oregon Pacific is, how can Oregon Pacific rationalize that <br />and still market the same attributes of surrounding areas. Ms. Wooten wanted to <br />know how the City of Eugene could be assured that the services contracted for <br />would limit the prospect to the City limits. Mr. Anderson answered that one has <br />to be pragmatic and realize that it is very rare that someone coming into an <br />area won't look at every site available. Mr. Ohm said that we are in an econo- <br />mically interdependent area, and even if a prospect located in a nearby location, <br />it would help the overall economy. <br /> <br />Mr. Keller said that he was in a quandary because it is the City of Eugene's <br />money, and how do you step forward and say we are doing it for the Metropolitan <br />area. He said that our obligation is to the City, and the City wants the contract <br />work to be very fairly specific. <br /> <br />Ms. Wooten said that the three areas the council subcommittee has discussed at <br />length where services could be contracted are: <br /> <br />1) Export trade opportunities--It may be in the form of technical assis- <br />tance to a specific number of Eugene businesses or a foreign trade <br />zone feasibility. <br /> <br />2) Wood products--How could we contract for services to assist local wood <br />product manufacturers with second generation products and markets? <br /> <br />3) Industrial recruitment for those firms of over 100 employees. <br /> <br />Mr. Anderson spoke to Mr. Keller's concern, saying that the important thing is <br />to get prospects here to look at Eugene. Any site locater that comes may have <br />15 other sites that he/she will also look at. <br /> <br />Mr. Holmer asked either Mr. Hoyt or Mr. Amundson if the Chamber of Commerce <br />could be contracted with for recruitment. Mr. Amundson answered that the <br />Chamber of Commerce did not have the staff for large-scale recruitment, and that <br />Oregon Pacific was more suited for that work. He added that he thought it <br />unfair of the City of Eugene to expect Oregon Pacific to produce recruiting for <br />the City specifically. He thought Oregon Pacific should pursue the areas of <br />foreign trade zones and wood products rather than specific sites. He said the <br />economics of the region does not flow by the lines of the map. <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council/OPEDC <br /> <br />May 23, 1983 <br /> <br />Page 5 <br />